This invention relates to mechanical footgear for conditioning the lower extremity muscles of a user. The device is particularly useful for athletes who wish to improve their athletic performance.
Equipment for athletic training is diverse with special application to a variety of conditioning techniques for specific muscle groups. A substantial portion of mechanical equipment is devoted to muscle buildup where the major muscle configurations are enlarged through contraction under applied resistance. In any training program, particularly where muscle enlargement may occur, it is necessary to include exercises and conditioning techniques to stretch an athletic trainee's muscles to prevent constriction of movement. This is particularly important where athletic performance is dependent on dynamic ability or speed. In such activities performance requires a muscle tone, conditioned for stretch as well as contraction.
Where there are many conditioning routines designed for extension of the foot, there are few routines for a complimentary contraction of the foot for stretching tight heel cords. Runners often stretch such cords and accompanying muscles by leaning forward into a wall or support to angle backwardly extended feet, either together or individually. This is part of a common warmup routine, but is rarely an extended part of a conditioning program.
Such routines provide little comparative data for the trainee to determine the state of his physical condition and are largely limbering exercises. Further, such routines are difficult to integrate into a training program with prolonged conditioning to provide gradual stretching of muscles and tendons of lasting duration.
The muscle conditioner device of this invention provides the trainee with a specially devised foot-gear that can be incorporated into a simple, effective routine to provide measurable changes in plantar flexion that enhances the athletic performance of the user.